Evaluating the establishment of a new water hyacinth biological control agent in South Africa

Megamelus scutellaris Berg (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) is the most recent of nine biological control agents developed to manage invasive water hyacinth, Pontederia (=Eichhornia) crassipes Mart. (Pontederiaceae), in South Africa. More than a million M. have been mass-reared and released since first introduction agent into Africa 2013, successfully establishing overwintering populations at 32 sites seven provinces. Establishment has also recorded these through natural dispersal from where they had established. Inundative releases, large numbers are regularly, resulted excellent establishment, caused significant reduction hyacinth cover areas where, historically, seemed unlikely due excessive eutrophication. Although established well throughout classical methods, this study showed that inundative releases over multiple seasons results effective weed, especially cool temperate eutrophic sites.